By Alan Burnell, AIH President
Sitting one morning with Matlock the gnome having a coffee with Pi the butcher bird discussing which nesting box he wants for his future family.
Through my Epiphyte Tree ‘Costas’ a creation of Tillandsia, Orchids, Bromeliads and a Hoya vine we spy a bud protruding from a leaf off the Epiphyllum oxypetalum ( Queen of the Night ).
A remarkable plant that enchants with its nocturnal flowering habit. The powerful vanilla scent and great beauty of the huge flowers that opens at dusk on a given day and wilts before the rise of the sun the following morning.
Native to Southern Mexico thriving in tropical and subtropical climates, usually growing on trees and over plants in lush, humid rainforests.
Epiphyllum oxypetalum is a sprawling, spineless cactus with both epiphytic and lithophytic growth habits. Growing up to 3 meters manly over other plants for support rather than nutrients but can be found growing on rocks deriving moisture and nutrients from the air and occasional debris.
The flowers are exceptionally large up to 30cm long and 20cm in diameter and highly scented attracting in their native habitat bats and moths for pollination also being a source of nectar for wildlife. When pollenated the flowers give way to oblong, purplish red fruits up to 12cm long which are edible and taste similar to passionfruit.
That’s the horticultural description of this amazing plant, but then if you’re lucky enough like myself you get see this flower unfold, bloom and share with your friends over a 3 hour spectacular show seeing nature at its best.
The chairs were laid out, the tripod positioned with camera in place, a quick decision to change the lens for a higher magnification add a second spot light and we are ready, the curtains drawn back the lights dimmed to a main spotlight on her majesty ‘The Queen of the Night’ we named Josephine for the Playbill, it’s action time in natures theatre.
As the evening unfolded with chocolate, strawberries and coffee it made me think of the Danish poet and author Hans Chiristian Andersen and his fairy tale ‘The Ugly Duckling’ the misunderstood duckling ( an insignificant looking plant in this case ) that grows up to become a beautiful white swan ( The Queen of the Night ). A true case of don’t judge a book by its cover its what’s on the inside that matters.
And then as suddenly as the evening unfolded with no intermission, the vanilla scent being briefly abundant, Josephine takes a curtsy and says we may meet again another night in a future year if you are lucky to see me dance with the stars again.
Enjoy the images taken and edited by my neighbour Steven de Beer who captured this elegant dance very much a Swan Lake Ballet by one of nature’s queens.
